Strawberry and Cream Cake

I was almost defeated by this cake. Almost. What you see is strawberry cake number three. Number one was OK, number two was OK, but number three was finally what I had in my mind for a strawberry cake. My neighbors had to eat a lot of strawberry cake while I perfected my vision. Not that they complained, mind you.

My daughter could eat strawberries all day, every day if I let her. Except for a short time in the spring when the strawberries grown here in California are as sweet as sugar, I can take them or leave them. While enjoying a bowl of berries I had a flashback of a strawberry cake from a local restaurant called Pie and Burger. My neighbors Kevin and Myrna had shared some, and I thought it was delicious. No artificial strawberry flavor, just the taste of real, sweet fruit. I decided I could make a fabulous strawberry cake, I am a chef after all!

Well, I am a chef, not a baker! Two very different culinary arts. Baking is a science, cooking is an art. With cooking I can throw things together, taste and adjust as needed. With baking you better have your ratios right or your cake won’t rise, or it will fall when you take it out of the even or any number of things. Which is why you are looking at strawberry cake number three.

If you are looking for a pretty pink cake, you could add a bit of food coloring. I like it natural with little flecks of strawberry in the cake.

Fresh strawberries add a sweet and summery flavor to this scrumptious cake!

Ingredients

3 cups cake flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, pureed

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

Instructions

Heat your oven to 325 degrees F. Oil and flour a large bundt pan, making sure to completely coat the inside with oil and flour to prevent sticking.Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Reduce the speed to low, and add the eggs on at a time, waiting until each is well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract.Stir together the pureed strawberries, heavy cream and strawberry preserves.On low speed, slowly add 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Pour in 1/2 of the strawberry and cream mixture, again making sure everything is incorporated. Add another 1/3 of the flour, then the remaining strawberry mixture. Finish with the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl as needed.Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, spreading it out evenly in the pan. Bake the cake for 55 minutes to an hour, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.Cool the cake on a rack for 25 – 30 minutes, then carefully go around the sides of the cake with a spatula to loosen it. Turn the cake out on the rack and let it cool completely.Frost the cake when it has cooled completely.

Be sure to store the cake in the refrigerator as the heavy cream in the frosting will spoil if left out on the counter. Let the cake come to room temperature to let the frosting soften again before serving. If you plan on using a lighter milk product, be aware that it will thin the frosting, making it more of a glaze. Because of the high fat content in heavy cream, it emulsifies and thickens the frosting, instead of thinning it.

This ultra rich strawberry frosting would be equally good on a vanilla or chocolate cake.

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup strawberry preserves

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

In an electric mixer, beat the butter and strawberry preserves until mixed well.On low speed, slowly add the confectioners sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed.Raise the speed to medium low, and add the vanilla extract. Slowly begin pouring in the cream, stopping to let it become incorporated before adding more.Beat the frosting for a minute or two, until it is light and fluffy.Store any unused frosting in the refrigerator.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: Total time: 10 mins Yield: 4 cups

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Comments

The frosting is actually kind of textured because of the strawberry preserves, so that is probably why it looked strange to you. Yes it does taste great, but it is not as smooth as a regular butter cream. Please let me know how you enjoyed the cake!

I’ve made the cake and the starwberry cream frosting. Haven’t frosted the cake yet but the texture of the frosting is odd. ‘Looks’ like the butter and the cream didn’t emulsify together but it tastes great. Is this the way it’s supposed to be or did I over mix it somehow? Plannig to serve this for dessert Saturday night and wonder if I should re do the frosting? Love your blog. Just started following it. Make the ribs the other night . . . amazing and I already make pretty good ribs.